Safety lock for stopcocks



Now. 13 1%23.

E. W. LEECH, JR

SAFETY LOOK FOR STOPCOCKS Filed Aug. 10 1921 ments in Safety i: E in EDWARD W. LEECH, JR., OF BALTIMORE, MARYLAND.

SAFETY LOCK FOR STOPCOCKS.

Application filed August 10, 1921. Serial No. 491,194..

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that '1, EDWARD W. LEECH, Jr, a citizen of the United States, residing at Baltimore, in the State of Maryland, have invented certain new and useful'Improve- Locks for. Stopcocks; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact descriptionof the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to safety locks for stop cocks.

Among the objects of my invention are To produce a safety lock suitable for use with the stop cock of an ordinary gas ran e, to prevent the inadvertent operation of t e stop cock.

To produce a safety lock for stop cocks capable of easy application to the stop cocks of an ordinary gas range.

To produce a safety lock for stop cocks which can be cheaply manufactured and readily applied by unskilled persons.

In carrying out my invention I make use of the instrumentalities illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a section of the manifold of an ordinary gas range showing one stop cock connected thereto and my improved safety lock mounted thereon, the stop cook being in the off position.

Fig. 2 is a view of the parts shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in said figure.

Fig. 3 is a viewof the parts shown in Fig. 2 looking in the direction of the arrow 3 in said figure.

Fig. 4 is a view of the bracket for hold ing my improved lock when viewed in the direction of the arrow 3 in Fig. 2.

In the drawings 10 represents the ordinary manifold used to convey gas to the burners of a gas range. 11 and 12 are, respectively, the body and valve portions of the stop cook, the latter being operated by the handle 13. A spring such as 14 and screw 15 are usually employed to keep the valve 12 seated within the body 11. The body 11 and valve 12 are provided with the usual passages so that when the handle 13 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 and by full lines in Fig. 3 the egress of gas from the manifold 10 through the body 11 to the gas burner is prevented. f

'The bracket 19 is also for the reception of said'bolts and any suitable number of washers such as 20 may be The parts thus far described are of any they form part of my invention.

16 is a clamp preferably formed of sheet metal which encircles the manifold 10 and has itsends 17-17 brought together and piercedfor the reception of the bolts 18-18. pierced by the slot 22 placed between the top end 17 and the bracket 19. Nuts 21 serve to clamp the ends 17. bracket 19 and washers together.

The upper end of the bracket 19 is slotted as at 23 and provided with holes for the reception of the pivot 24. The bottom of the slot 23 is cut to form the oblique face 25 shown in Fig. 1 and the lower end of the lock 26 is cut to fit against said face when the lock 26 is in the position shown in Fig. 1, thereby preventing said lock from moving below said position.

The lock 26 is curved to embrace the handle 13 and is provided with a finger grip 27 for the application of the fingers thereto and for the purpose hereinafter explained.

The lock 26 is loosely mounted upon the pivot 24 and is normally kept by gravity in the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

The operation of my improved lock is as follows:

The forefinger being applied to the end 28 of the handle 13, the thumb is applied to the finger grip 27 and the lock 26 is moved to the position shown dotted in Fig. 1. The handle 13 can then be moved from the position shown by full lines in Fig. 3 to the position shown dotted in said figure. When the thumb is removed from the finger grip 27 the force of gravity returns the lock 26 from the position shown dotted in Fig. 1 go the position shown by full lines in said gure.

lVhen the handle 13 is moved from the position shown dotted in Fig. 3 to the position shown by full lines in said figure, the body of the handle 13 presses against the curved portion 29 of the finger grip 27 and moves the lock 26 from the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1 towards the position shown by dotted lines in said figure until the handle 13 passes under the point 30 of the lock 26 when said lock drops to the position shown by full lines in Fig. 1.

By loosening the nuts 21 the bracket 19 in which many changes may be made without departing from the spirit of my inven- 2o bracket and engaging said handle to stop (see Fig. 1) may be slid either toward the right or toward the left in order to make the lock 26 function properly with the handle 18.

For the "same purpose by the use of more or less of the washers the bracket 19 may be moved upwardly or downwardly.

Thus it will be seen that I provide a simple, cheap and effective lock for preventing the inadvertent operation of stop cocks,

tion.

I claim 1. The combination with a manifold, a

stop cock connected therewith and a handle for operating said cock, of a clamp on said manifold, a bracket supported by said clamp, and a lock pivotally mounted on said motion of said handle in one direction, said bracket projecting into the path of said handle to stop motion of said handle in the other direction. I

2. The combination with a manifold, a stop cock connected therewith and a handle "for operating said cock, of a clamp on said manifold, a bracket supported by said clamp, and a lock pivotally mounted on said bracket and engaging said handle to stop motion of saidhandle in one direction, said bracket projecting into the path of said handle to stop motion of said handle in the other direction and being adjustable with reference to said clamp in order to vary the stopped position of said handle.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature.

EDWARD w. LEECH, JR. 

